Ciao! I'm Leonardo, a Laidlaw Scholar passionate about entrepreneurship, leadership, and creating meaningful change in this world. I come from Italy, and at 17, I took an uncomfortable step by moving alone to the UK to pursue my studies, determined to gain access to an English university, networks, and growth opportunities. My research title is: "Using Points of Interest Data to Understand Retail Change in Great Britain, 2015 – 2025", which deeply connects with my entrepreneurial objectives. Through Laidlaw, I'm excited to expand my leadership capabilities, refine essential entrepreneurial skills and find new people within this amazing network! I'm passionate about engaging with Laidlaw's diverse global community, exchanging perspectives, and fostering long-lasting connections. I look forward to contributing my experiences, collaborating with fellow scholars, and continuously growing as both a leader and an individual. Please feel free to connect; I’m genuinely excited to share ideas, collaborate, and explore innovative solutions together! Leonardo Linkedin  leonardogareri05@gmail.com

Hello! I recently graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology Research from the University of Toronto. I’m passionate about youth mental health and how humour can be used to support resilience after adversity. My Summer 1 research project explored the relationship between childhood adversity, aggression, and self-regulation — deepening my understanding of the psychological impacts of early trauma. In Summer 2, I led a Leadership-in-Action project at SOS Children’s Villages in Cape Town, where I designed and facilitated a comedy-based mental health program for teens. That experience led me to found HaHaHelps — an organization that uses improv comedy to support youth mental health through accessible, community-led workshops. I am currently conducting a feasibility study of the program in South Africa as part of my master’s dissertation in Psychology at the University of Cape Town, with plans to expand to more communities globally. Please feel free to connect :) Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/younessrobert-tahiri Email: youness@hahahelps.org

Hello! I’m a Philosophy student at Durham University, with academic interests in applied ethics, decision-making and sustainability. My broader aim is to use interdisciplinary research to drive measurable, socially meaningful change. My summer research explored barriers to public transport adoption, with a view toward long-term policy implementation. This project combined behavioural science, psychology, urban planning, and design to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive transport policies. For my LiA, I will be travelling to Kerala for the central CraftHER project, where I will undertake four consulting projects with local female-led businesses and a research project. 

Hello! My name is Lily, and I’m pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in music. My research is interdisciplinary in that it includes psychology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral studies, and music. I’m studying how listening to emotionally-intense music impacts the later ventriloquism effect, which is a measure of multisensory binding between visual and auditory stimuli. Then, I will investigate if this effect changes when the visual stimulus is imagined using visual mental imagery. My work is motivated by my deep interest in the interactions between visual mental imagery and mental health, specifically with flashbacks in post-traumatic stress disorder. In the future, my goal is to get a PhD in clinical psychology to support mental health in developmental populations and continue research.

Hello! I'm Imogen, a second-year Law LLB student at Durham University. My research for this summer centres around the European Convention of Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. The project evaluates the Court's current approach to the balancing act required between the right to free and fair elections and the right to freedom of information, to discover if the Court's methodology is appropriate in the digital age.  Outside of Laidlaw, I am part of the Durham University Bar Society, and I am the Internal Competitions Officer for Durham Mooting Society. I am an aspiring Barrister with particular interests in EU law and domestic civil law. 

Hi! I'm Lizzie, a second-year Biological Sciences student at Durham University. Deeply passionate about advocating for and taking action to maintain environmental health and sustainability, I aim to contribute meaningfully to these efforts by expanding my understanding of such challenges and collaborating with like-minded individuals who share a dedication to environmental conservation.   I have a particular interest in conservation strategies that focus on umbrella species, such as the macaw, where protecting one species can generate wider ecological benefits for entire ecosystems. This interest has been deepened through my current summer placement with the Macaw Recovery Network in Costa Rica, where I am contributing to species recovery and environmental education. My work includes practical conservation tasks at the breeding centre and reserve, supporting welfare and maintenance, developing resources for volunteers, and collaborating with staff and community members to strengthen outreach programs. Alongside this, I am documenting activities and recommendations to create a volunteer guide, ensuring future interns and volunteers can contribute effectively. These experiences are helping me explore how conservation initiatives can balance ecological impact with community engagement, while also testing and developing my leadership capacities and character. In my free time, I actively participate in environmental volunteer work and love to do anything creative, from painting to crocheting and reading. I also enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly dog walking, and practising karate with my university club.

Hello! I'm Melissa (she/her), a second-year undergraduate student at Durham University studying BSc Natural Sciences. I am passionate about multi-disciplinary learning, and my range of degree modules across the departments of Biology, Geography, Anthropology and Psychology allow me to explore my interests across both the sciences and social sciences. I love all things human, and am especially interested in the fields of human biology, equitable healthcare, and public health.  Last summer, I thoroughly enjoyed commencing my journey as a Laidlaw Scholar with my research project focussing on the development of vision in human fetuses, including focussing on how maternal mental health impacts upon this.  In my free time, I love to spend time with friends and family, bake, go for walks, and play with my cocker spaniel! I am also passionate about volunteering, various sports, reading, and music! Feel free to get in touch! 

Hi! I'm Sophia, an aspiring scientist and philomath. I love learning about everything and anything and delight in spending time with people who are passionate about the things they love! I am really interested and curious about how we can use chemistry to improve processes and products to help society. For example, my research project is looking into the possibility of turning struvite, a mineral which is a by-product of waste-water treatment processes into slow-release nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers, which would be a green source nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers and help achieve goals of zero-waste.  If you are researching something similar or are interested in learning more about the project, please reach out! I am super happy to talk about the project and meet other who are doing something similar and possibly collaborate! 

Hello! I am a 3rd year undergrad studying biological sciences at Durham University, England. I am interested in the applications of cell biology and genetics in conservation, with a particular focus on ornithology. Last summer I researched Little Tern conservation at three sites in England and Wales, focusing on the management techniques used and the relative breeding success of pairs at each site. This summer I am volunteering at a bird observatory in Sweden, assisting with the ringing of songbirds.